Klarorific drabbles
by willowaus
Summary: A collection of drabbles from tumblr. Pretty much all Klaroline.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just a place to store all of my drabbles that I sometimes post on my tumblr. **

**I figured I'd start off the first one that's set in the _Wicked Schemes_ world for it. So :) I just wanted a place to have them where I don't have to hunt through tags. There will be a new chapter of _The Devil's Backbone _on Friday.**

* * *

Five years of rebuilding the New Orleans supernatural community was enough to give anyone grey hairs. Something that Caroline was very pleased she would never experience. Though she wasn't too sure if she would have ever gotten grey ones or if her hair would have gone straight to white because of its coloring.

Five years of dealing with the Original families spats. Of the never-ending fallouts that seemed to occur between the siblings, ranging from days to weeks to nearly a year long one at one time, but they always gravitated back toward one another. Never quite able to let the others go.

Five years of watching Stefan heal, of seeing him battle through the reminders of what he had endured, eventually able to go a week without an episode. Then a month, and now it had been two years.

Five years of enduring the battle of wills between Rebekah and Stefan as they skirted around their desire for one another before finally acting upon it. That had nearly skidded to a halt when after two months of them being together Elena had waltzed into town wanting to make amends with Caroline. Rebekah's insecurities over Stefan always choosing the doppelganger reared its head but after some yelling and lamps thrown at his head they had come out of the conflict stronger than ever. He might always love Elena Gilbert, but he wasn't in love with her any longer.

She had watched the Coven grow, dealt with the strife that would probably never end between her group of witches and Klaus. Saw them become a tightly knit group that grew in power and worked with her to enhance her powers in ways none of them had even known was possible. The wolf pack expanded, setting down tighter roots into the community, their loyalty to Klaus never wavering and she knew how much that meant to the Hybrid. Could see it in his gaze whenever he was meeting with them.

New vampires had been turned, older ones joining the fray with Klaus' permission, a healthy dose of fear instilled in them before they were allowed to settle into the city. There had been uprisings from some witches, deaths that were unavoidable, but eventually the New Orleans scene took a turn toward calming down. No one was trying to usurp power, there were no potential threats on the horizon, and Klaus was growing restless with the place. He had promised Caroline the world and he meant to make good on that particular promise.

They had been all over New Orleans, experiencing all the sights and sounds the city had to offer and while he loved the city and all it held, there were hundreds of others that he wanted to show her. He'd almost done so on their first anniversary, but the witch uprising had taken precedent. And then there had been her twentieth birthday but Elena had come to town to spoil all of his fun. Countless other plans ruined by some chaotic mess or the other. It was when the last trip he had planned for them was canceled because of a failed attack on their lives that Klaus had given up planning any vacations. Instead he sat back and waited for the perfect opportunity, for the city to not be in the middle of some bout of strife so he could whisk her away.

And finally that moment had come.

"Wake, sweetheart," Klaus implored, running his hand down Caroline's spine as he willed her to stop sleeping. There had been no threats of any kind for two weeks. He already had the packets she had created long ago for his siblings and her witches to consult while they were on vacation set out on the kitchen table. He had the jet on standby at the airport and the car should be picking them up in the next half hour.

The only task left to do was to wake the blonde beauty still curled up in bed. "It's not even morning," Caroline groused, not bothering to open her eyes and snuggling down more under the covers.

"Caroline," Klaus urged, refusing to allow her need for slumber to ruin what he knew she would enjoy. She could always rest again on the plane. "I will take you out of this room as you are right now but I think you'd prefer to actually put some clothes on before we leave."

She rolled over at that, frowning as she tried to make sense of what he was going on about. "What?" She had to have heard him wrong. Maybe she was still sleeping. "We're supposed to be going somewhere?"

"Rome, actually," Klaus told her as he rose from the bed, watching her sit up, finding her confusion to be rather adorable.

"I don't' remember planning for a Roman vacation," Caroline replied, wiping at her eyes. She had to still be dreaming.

"Whenever we plan something this place has a way of interfering with it," Klaus pointed out, pointing toward the closet. "I already set out your agendas for everyone to follow. Now get dressed. The car service will be here in roughly fifteen minutes and I will make good on my threat to carry you out as you are."

He watched the varied emotions play out on her face—from surprise to happiness to annoyance—as she got out of bed and headed to grab some clothes. "Those plans are like two years old, Klaus!" Caroline protested as she emerged from the closet, fully dressed, and headed to the bathroom to fix the tangled mess that was her hair. "And I can't pack in like ten minutes!"

"We'll buy what we need there, love," Klaus assured her, making sure he had their passports and the credit cards.

He smiled at her mutterings, not really listening to her as he turned his attention to the rest of the house. Rebekah and Stefan were still out for the evening and Elijah seemed to be asleep. They would be able to abscond into the night without any interference. "We're seriously going to Rome?" Caroline asked as she peeked out of the bathroom, moving to embrace him at his nod.

"As much as I'd like to enjoy your version of a thank you, we have a car to get into and plane to catch," Klaus pointed out, maneuvering out of her arms and dropping a kiss on her forehead. Caroline let out a little squeal, unable to believe that they were finally doing this. She couldn't wait. _Rome._ She'd even forgive him for keeping her out of the loop.

Klaus nodded toward the door and they headed out of the room, ready to leave the house when Stefan and Rebekah headed inside, looking frantic. "What's wrong?" Caroline started, but Klaus growled, directing annoyed looks at the other two vampires as he flashed Caroline out of the house and to the car waiting for them.

"Klaus," Caroline chided once they were inside of it. Obviously something had happened.

He ignored her, directing the driver where to take them before turning back to her, smiling innocently. She arched a brow at that, unsurprised when both of their phones started ringing. Klaus glared at the offending object as she answered it. "Hey, Caleb, what's going on?"

Klaus leaned back in the seat, shaking his head in annoyance at the interruption and didn't bother to answer his own phone. He didn't try to listen in on her conversation either, waiting for the inevitable declaration that they needed to turn around and deal with another disaster. He would enjoy destroying whoever was interfering this time; make sure that their death was as painful as possible. Perhaps kill their family and friends as well. Even the neighbors might not be safe.

"So you guys have this then?" Caroline asked, trying not to laugh at Klaus sulking. She could practically see the terrible schemes he was concocting in his head, no doubt planning deaths to whoever was trying to ruin their impromptu vacation. "Then I'll see you in…how long are we going for?"

Klaus shrugged, not sure how long they would be away, wondering if she was truly letting someone else save the day this time. "We'll be back in a few weeks. I've got my phone so call if you need us," she told Caleb, smiling as Klaus muttered something about 'him bloody well not needing to call'. She hung up the phone and shook her head before leaning over to kiss him. "So Rome?"

"To start at least," Klaus told her, taking her hand in his. "After that perhaps Milan. Venice. I'll take you to some of the smaller towns and cities. Let you truly experience the country."

"If we go to Milan, Rebekah is going to want to join us," Caroline reminded, remembering the girl's desire to do some shopping in that city.

"I'm sure Stefan and I will be able to find ways to entertain ourselves while you two buy everything under the sun," Klaus replied, thankful the airport was in the distance.

"No rampages," Caroline told him, pressing her lips together at his smirk.

"Have a little faith, love."


	2. Chapter 2

**I can't remember the exact episode this was after. Whichever one Marcel picked up the coin during.**

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It wasn't supposed to be like this, to have happened in the manner that it did, but Klaus Mikaelson was done with waiting. A day or a century he had told her, however long it takes for the sleeping girl to realize what he had known for so long. He knew how to be patient, how to bide his time and keep working the angles so that he would get what he desired, what he deserved. But New Orleans was a mess, his siblings were all against him, and while he had taken the crown and the kingdom from the man he used to call son, it had been a hollow victory. One that brought him little satisfaction, even if he delighted in wrenching everything away from those who had so easily betrayed him time and time again. He'd carve out the wolf girl's heart for his brother once his daughter was born, a parting gift for choosing her over him. Perhaps do the same with Marcel's heart for Rebekah.

But for now he looked down at the sleeping vampire, blond curls aching to be touched and so he allowed himself the gesture. Fingers trailing along the strands and up to her cheek, but a whisper against her flesh. It was enough to wake her though, and Caroline flinched back, wondering who the hell was in her dorm and what they wanted. Her fangs were out, body already on the offensive after the months of insanity she'd endured at the college because of the Augustine society. She blinked when she spotted Klaus, sitting ever so casually on the edge of her bed, and watching her with an indiscernible expression.

Caroline prided herself on usually being able to discern his moods, to figure out what was going on in that head of his, but she had no idea at the moment and that had her entire body on edge. She hadn't seen or talked to him in months, and while she'd known the mini fridge was from him, with the big black bow and vial of his blood tucked away for safe keeping, she'd purposefully not answered any calls. She'd listened to the voicemails a few times, always deleting them after a day or two and regretting it only moments later.

"Why are you here?" she demanded, sleepiness still evident in her voice, but head held high as she carefully watched him.

"You're coming with me," Klaus informed her, his tone leaving no room for discussion, and he grabbed onto her arms, fingers biting into her skin as he easily lifted her from the bed.

"Excuse you," she growled, squirming in his grip. What the hell was his problem?! "I'm not going anywhere. Kinda got a life going here. Very happy with it." Or well, okay, maybe that part was a lie, but she wasn't about to let Klaus wander into her dorm room and kidnap her. Hell no.

"I've no qualms with absconding with you as you are now, but I'll give you a moment to grab some clothes and then we're off," Klaus continued as if he hadn't heard a word she had said, shoving her toward the closet.

Caroline turned around, glaring at him. "I'm not going, Klaus, and you can't…" Well, technically he could make her. She had just never thought that he would do that, especially to her, because he wanted anything with her to be real. Not compelled, not manufactured. Real. And wasn't there supposed to be a whole bunch of time and waiting? She was pretty sure that's what he'd signed up for with his whole 'however long it takes' speech.

Something was up.

"What happened?" she demanded, crossing her arms across her chest as she watched him for any clue as to what the hell was happening.

"You have two minutes, Caroline," Klaus told her, ignoring her question, but as if that was going to stop her.

"I have eternity because we both know you're not going to freaking kidnap me!" Caroline yelled at him, holding her ground as he stalked toward her. He was the picture of calm when he looked at her, reminding her of that night when he'd stabbed and bit her, but she refused to back down. "I'm gonna find out anyway if you're going to abduct me to New Orleans so what happened?"

Because maybe if she knew what had him acting all crazy she could defuse the situation and get him to see reason.

"You are not the only one having a crazy ass time, okay!" she huffed, glaring at him. "I've had my boyfriend break up with me because going after you is apparently more important than love which is totally rich considering it was like the opposite with you and I cannot even. Stefan was locked in a goddamn safe all summer, Silas came back, apparently murdered Bonnie's dad, who was also dead—Bonnie that is—except she's not anymore, Elena killed a vampire friend of mine who I'm like 90% sure I sired, and I'm now phone buddies with freaking Katherine Pierce so either talk to me or get the hell out."

"I have my kingdom through no help from my siblings," Klaus started, the anger seeming to come off of him in waves as he wrenched open the closet door and started grabbing things from it. She wasn't even going to try and explain that he was kind of taking some of Bonnie and Elena's things at the moment. "No, instead they bloody well betray me all over again, believed that I would harm my own child, and sided with the traitorous upstart that used to be…" He trailed off, realizing what all he had said in his reveal. The truly startling part was that Caroline was simply leaning against the wall, waving her hand for him to continue.

"I already know about the baby," she informed him. "Bonnie's the anchor to the other side. She hears things. She tells me things. Which hey, during all those voicemails about this lovely thing in the city or that one, you could've mentioned it. But not the point. So you have your kingdom? Why aren't you back home celebrating and instead trying to kidnap me—which honestly not gonna work."

Caroline watched him for a long moment, this Hybrid who was still taking fistfuls of clothes and throwing them down onto the nearest bed. "You don't have anyone to celebrate with, do you?" she asked, and from the pause in his movements that lasted for a moment before he dragged the suitcase out from the closet as well and started tossing the clothing into it, Caroline knew she was right in her assessment. "Stop putting clothes in the damn suitcase, Klaus. Half of those aren't even mine."

She headed over to the mini fridge and pulled out two beers. "Not exactly the highest caliber of beverage but you're in a college dorm so deal." She tossed him one of them before settling down on the edge of her bed. She easily opened her own bottle and patted the space beside her. "So basically, you've won your kingdom by alienating anyone and everyone else that's in the city?"

"This is absolute swill," Klaus started, sitting down beside her as he opened his own bottle. "You can do far better in taste than this nonsense, dorm room or not, Caroline."

"I'll take that under advisement," she murmured, rolling her eyes at his avoidance of the actual subject at hand. "You get more flies with honey than vinegar. It's a good saying; can't always use fear and cowering to get what you want."

"It's worked rather well for me in the last thousand years," Klaus pointed out, grimacing as he took a drink.

"Really? Because I'm failing to see what it is that you have to show for it. Let's see, your siblings are betraying you, your baby's mama hates you, your city hates you…" Caroline counted off on her fingers. "Where are the bright parts exactly?"

Klaus arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh yes, and you've pissed off the like one friend you have by a near attempt to kidnap her to New Orleans because you suck at friendships. And boundaries," Caroline continued. "Snap out of whatever downward spiral you're drifting down, remember who the hell you are, and be that annoying charmer we both know you can be. You know, in between eating people and burning down homes and whatever other nefarious things Kings of New Orleans do."

"I should charm them," Klaus muttered, staring down at the bottle he refused to drink more of.

"A bit of charm, a bit of fear. Make yourself invaluable. If all they ever do is fear you then they'll keep trying to overthrow you," Caroline pointed out, swirling the liquid around in her bottle. "So figure out how to do that. I don't have a clue. You know those people better than I do. Who's their common enemy because if it's you then you're kinda screwed. You want to make it be someone else."

"You're quite the evil mastermind," Klaus commented, and she rolled her eyes at that.

"That's high school social rules number one." She pointed her bottle at him, narrowing her eyes. "And don't think you're not putting all of those clothes back in that closet before you vamoose back to New Orleans. Without me." Caroline rose, tossing her bottle in the trashcan. "Which is like now because I've got two exams tomorrow and a paper due, plus other crap to deal with, and I'd like to at least have three more hours of sleep."

Motioning toward the clothes on the other bed, Caroline pushed him off of her bed before curling up under the blankets. "Try the phone next time you're having an existential crisis. Much less painful."

"Does that mean you'll actually be answering this time?" Klaus mused, shutting the closet door as he turned back to look at the nearly asleep blonde.

"Guess you'll see when you try," she murmured, peering over at him as she yawned. "Thanks for not killing Tyler. Again."

"I much prefer him living in constant agony," Klaus informed her, unsurprised when she scoffed at that idea.

"Go away now. I need to sleep," she ordered, turning away from him, and hugging her pillow tightly.

"Pleasant dreams, Caroline," Klaus murmured and then she could tell that he was gone. Caroline shook her head as she shut her eyes. What even was her life?


	3. Chapter 3

**Redefining Normal**

**Set after 4x23**

**Also from tumblr.**

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The first gift came the second week of summer.

Her mother had crashed into on an early morning jaunt to the station, having been called in for something or the other before the sun had risen, and her cursing had woken Caroline. At first she had feared her mother was in some sort of mortal peril, dread filling her instantly and Caroline had flashed down to her, fangs bare and ready to fight off the attacker.

She hadn't expected to find her mother massaging a banged knee as she tried to wipe coffee off her shirt that was already soaked through, all the while glaring at the mini fridge sitting on their porch, a large black ribbon tied around it with a bow on top. Caroline probably shouldn't have laughed at her mother's pain, but the sight was comical, even when the glare was directed at her.

"Do I even want to know?" Liz asked, sighing at the fact she would need to change and be even more behind than she was currently. Not to mention the fact that running into the fridge and having coffee spilled all over her had _hurt_.

Caroline shook her head, not really having an answer for why the mini fridge was sitting on their porch in the first place. Or, well, she had a feeling she knew why it was there and who it was from, but she really didn't want to hash that out with her mother. "I'll get it inside and I'll do the laundry," Caroline assured her instead, already lifting the fridge from the porch and bringing it to the living room where she had been putting the rest of her 'bring to college' items.

Liz had shook her head and headed off to change, leaving Caroline alone to inspect the fridge, not at all surprised when she found the envelope wedged under the bow with her name written in an all too familiar script. She pulled out the single piece of paper inside, unable to help smile as she read the message.

_I was told this is a most coveted model. Hopefully the black design will work with the color scheme you no doubt have in mind for your future dorm room._

_Klaus_

Caroline flipped the paper over, pressing her lips together at the scene sketched out on it. It was a band on a street, the musicians looking a mixture of carefree and intense in their playing, and from the architecture that looked like a scene out of _The Princess and the Frog_, Caroline knew it was somewhere in New Orleans. She slipped the envelope and paper back under the bow when she heard her mother leaving her room, no doubt finished changing.

"Tyler trying to make up for the fact that he hasn't come back yet?" Liz asked, nodding toward the fridge.

Caroline looked up at that, trying not to frown at the question and grateful she had already hidden the letter. "Something like that."

Liz watched her for a moment, certain that there was more to it than that, but she couldn't try and get to the bottom of it then and there. She was already too far behind and a mini fridge wasn't a big deal, right? It wasn't threatening in anyway and her daughter wasn't giving off any worried vibes. "I'll be back later tonight."

"I might be with Elena, but she might still be knee deep in sucking Damon's face, so if that's the case I'll pick us up some pizza," Caroline told her, motioning for her mother to leave already. "And if you don't go now you're going to chance that new deputy getting there before you and do you really want him to screw up the coffee all over again?"

She laughed as Liz cursed and headed out the door, waited until she heard her mother's cruiser head down the street before taking the envelope and paper out again, and headed to her room. She tossed the envelope in the trashcan, but the paper she placed down beside the sketch of her with a horse that lay at the bottom of her underwear drawer. Caroline had learned not to leave that laying around and knew the second sketch would only add fuel to an already raging fire.

Closing the drawer, she glanced over at her phone, torn on whether or not she was supposed to acknowledge the gift. She probably wasn't supposed to accept gifts from him. She could already imagine what her friends would say. Telling her to send it back, to get rid of it, donate the thing to someone else. Anything but keep it.

Except it was something else she could cross off her ever growing 'college readiness' list and she really didn't want to look for another mini fridge when there was already one in the house. That was such a waste of money, something her mother and she didn't exactly have growing on trees. What could it hurt to keep the fridge? Bonnie and Elena would benefit from it as well.

Caroline sent a quick text, stating only 'thank you', Klaus would know what it was about. And as soon as she was done with that one, she sent off another to Tyler, a simple 'I miss you.'

Funny how she got a reply back almost immediately from Klaus, 'you're welcome, sweetheart, let me know if you need it in a different color', and yet a week later she was still waiting to hear back from Tyler.

Two weeks later there was another envelope with his familiar script, though unlike the mini fridge and its peculiar arrival, this letter arrived by mail. Stamped and everything. There was no return address, only her name and address on the front, and Caroline felt guilty when she simply nodded along, letting her mother think that it was from Tyler when Liz had handed her the letter. She waited until her mother was at work again, motioning to her half-done pedicure and not wanting it to dry unevenly or some other excuse, before opening it.

She hadn't expected the printed out page of a hotel registration for a room at a bed and breakfast on Chincoteague Island, slotted for two weeks from then. Three days paid for, a list of restaurants and places to enjoy, and another slip of paper inside with more of his handwriting.

_Bring a friend. I think you'll quite enjoy the ponies at the wildlife refuge._

Caroline stared at it for the longest time, unsure what to make of it, what game he was trying to play. Was she supposed to go and then they would be ambushed? Except, it had never been Klaus doing the ambushing with her, had it? She was always the one involved in those kinds of deals.

Her phone chirped, alerting her to a text, and Caroline pulled it out, frown deepening as she read it. 'Don't worry, sweetheart. I won't be anywhere near Virginia. Feel free to send me a picture if you do decide to go.'

She didn't reply, deleted the message instantly and nearly deleted his number as well, but didn't think that much was necessary. She pocketed the registration, tearing the envelope into shreds and tossing them away as she tried to forget about all of it.

Another phone call to Tyler went unanswered, more plans with Elena interrupted by Damon, and Caroline found herself pulling out the paper again, wondering if it really would be that horrible if she went. She didn't have to go for the entire time. Maybe she could go one night and at least see the ponies.

And that's what she did, telling her mother that she wanted to shop for some college items at one of the stores out of town and that she might as well stay the night instead of driving home in the dark. Never mind that she had perfect vampire vision. Her mother hadn't questioned it, too busy with trying to explain to the town how Jeremy Gilbert had apparently faked his death and was back again. A bout of teen drama mixed with loss.

Caroline sent Klaus a picture of the ponies and didn't stop smiling for at least a week once she returned to Mystic Falls.

The third gift came a week after that, reservations to a matinee performance of a play in DC, an easy day trip that she could make without anyone being the wiser. She didn't bother trying to hide what she was doing that time, talked up a storm with her mother about the fact she was going to it. Amused with the fact her mom didn't even bat an eyelash at it, didn't wonder how she'd come up with the money to purchase the ticket.

"I figured you used what you were going to spend on the fridge," Liz pointed out as she poured herself a bowl of cereal the morning after. Eyeing her daughter as she contemplated that maybe she had been wrong in that assumption. "That is what you did, isn't it?"

Caroline didn't deny or confirm, simply went into another long tale about how amazing it had been, the lights, the acting, the smell and sounds of the city calling to her. She had walked around DC for hours before and after the performance, enjoyed some people watching, made note of where the national museums were located and actually walked through a small art gallery before heading home.

She didn't notice that her mother was watching her curiously as she listened to all she said. "Caroline," Liz started, interrupting the spiel that was still coming out of her daughter's mouth nearly thirty minutes later. She hadn't seen her that enthused in…she couldn't even really remember the last time. "Why are you doing college?"

Caroline blinked, confused by the question. "Because…that's what I'm supposed to do." Maybe marriage wasn't in the cards or babies or anything, but college was still on the table.

Liz nodded and Caroline couldn't quite decipher the look on her mother's face. "But is what you want to do?"

"Of course," Caroline protested, wondering what her mother was even going on about. "I've wanted to go to college since I was nine, remember? Bonnie, Elena and I have been planning to be roommates since like freshman year."

"Plans change," Liz pointed out again, phone ringing before she could say more. "It's the station, I have to take this."

Caroline nodded, waving her off, even though she was still confused as to what her mother had meant, why she had asked if college was what she wanted. Of course she wanted it. College was normal…and just because she wasn't normal anymore didn't mean she couldn't still do normal things, right? She looked down at the photographs on her tablet, smiling at the different shots she had gotten in DC.

Everything had been so fast paced there, so much noise, so much life. Cars were jam-packed on the road, people hurrying by while others strolled and laughed, enjoying a pretzel as they talked. That was normal for them even though it was so out of place for what she knew, what she had grown up expecting.

Maybe she needed to redefine what normal meant to her now.

The next gift was another hotel reservation, this time in New York City and Caroline's jaw had nearly dropped when she had opened the envelope and read over what all had been planned. Three days in the city, a flight already booked for her to head there and back, even a Broadway show scheduled.

_I thought you might enjoy some more art and culture. I hear there is a decent jazz band club as well. I enclosed some directions for when you're there._

_Don't forget to try the pizza._

She looked across the breakfast table at her mother who was curiously watching her, and Caroline chewed on her bottom lip, uncertain what to even say in that moment. "Caroline, I may not always like what you do or agree with it, but no matter what I will always love you," Liz told her with a sigh. Caroline furrowed her brow, again wondering what her mother meant, why she was saying such a thing. "I know that fridge wasn't from Tyler."

Caroline swallowed hard at that, not willing to put any more into words. Saying anything out loud made it more real and she wasn't sure she could handle the realness of any of it right then. "Where do you want to be right now?" Liz prodded, not really wanting her daughter to make the decision, afraid of what it meant, but she knew holding Caroline back wasn't doing anyone any good. "Think about that and then go there."

Klaus frowned at the call, wondering why Caroline hadn't checked into the flight. Perhaps she had gone a different way or accidentally missed it. Should he call? See if she needed a different method of transportation to get to New York for the night? Or had she not gone on purpose? Had this one been too far, something she couldn't quite bring herself to accept. Almost like the beach one where she had only stayed overnight, not allowing herself to enjoy a full three days away from her tiny town. That was why he had made certain to make the DC performance a matinee showing, convinced she would be able to get to the city and back to Mystic Falls in a day. And if that was possible then it was more likely for her to at least try the trip, to see a bit more of the world outside of her town.

His mood grew even sourer when he learned a few hours later that she never checked into the hotel. Didn't bother answering his text either and he couldn't help the anger that boiled through him, wanting to be satiated immediately through some random kill. He ignored Elijah's calls for him, Marcel's banter as he headed to leave the house, annoyed with the world. Mostly annoyed with the fact that Caroline was letting her fear keep her from truly experiencing life.

He didn't' expect to nearly run her down on the steps of his townhouse when he opened the door, catching her arm before she could fall down and yanking her upright. What was she doing there?

"So, yeah, I know I'm supposed to be in New York right now apparently, but you were all I needed to see some more great art and culture and stuff and I remembered this voice mail you left about New Orleans having it and well, it's supposed to be your favorite city and I could really use a tour guide right about now," Caroline told him, rambling away to fill up the silence. "Only for a week though." She nodded toward the lone suitcase resting against the rail. "I've got plans with my mom next week so this isn't a permanent thing. It's a…'thank you for the mini fridge'."

"You already thanked me for the mini fridge," Klaus pointed out rather smugly. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with you having come simply because you wanted to enjoy my company."

"Let's not be hasty." Caroline narrowed her eyes as she quirked her lips. "Are you going to invite me in or not?"

Klaus picked up her suitcase. "Welcome to New Orleans, Caroline," he told her, holding open the door for her and she smiled, not exactly sure what she was doing in the city or what any of it meant, but it was a start.

Maybe it wasn't normal for a girl to randomly show up at the house of the guy she knew was in love with her, the same guy who had terrorized the lives of everyone she knew. Maybe it wasn't even next to normal, but maybe it was a step in the right direction to finding out what normal meant now that she had forever.


	4. Chapter 4

**This is how the world ends, **

**Part 1 of 2**

* * *

The world didn't end in a whimper, it ended in a bang.

So different from what that poem she had spent hours dissecting for class sophomore year had said would happen. Though maybe it was both considering the gun that erupted in the distance, bullet careening into her mother's head before Caroline even knew what was happening was met by the smallest of cries from her own mouth.

Who brought a gun to a supernatural showdown? Well, aside from her mother who wasn't supposed to be there but as Sheriff seemed to show up at the most inopportune times every now and then. But these were witches, Travelers, a hybrid, a hunter, and vampires. One of them having a gun with actual bullets in it wasn't something she expected to happen. Spells were usually thrown, teeth bared, claws flashed in this sort of thing.

Though she remembered a time a while back—a year, maybe more—having a gun pointed at her head, trigger pulled and killing her in an instant. She'd woken back up, only to be tortured, but it rattled around in her head that she should have known, should have foreseen something like this happening.

The length of time that it took to get to her mother's side, her own pinnacle role in the battle completely forgotten, seemed to grow with each step, the world seemingly slowing to a standstill around her. Even though it raged on as she moved, her focus on her mother who was collapsing to the ground, the rest of them battling out for whatever reason. Caroline couldn't remember any more.

She caught Liz before she hit the ground, collapsing to her knees as she cradled her mother in her arms. It wasn't a body. There was still hope, she could fix this. She had to fix this. Wrist to her mouth in an instant, biting into with all of her strength and then pressing the bloody mess to her mother's lips. They didn't react, reminding her all too quickly of another night in their home, Liz dying on the floor and unreceptive to drinking blood.

The bullet hole to her mother's head didn't mean a thing. She could stop that, could heal it, all she needed to do was get the blood in her system. Who cared if she couldn't hear her mother's heartbeat, that her chest wasn't rising and falling? That didn't matter. It didn't mean that she was too late. It was going to be okay. She'd make sure of it.

Okay, so the blood wasn't working. That just meant she needed to try another method at saving her. What was the amount of chest compressions that needed to be done to blows of air? God, she couldn't remember. Why had she stopped taking those damn CPR courses after turning? Look at how useful it would have been right now.

"Caroline."

One, two, three, four, five. Blow one, two.

"Caroline."

One, two, three, four, five. Blow one, two.

"Caroline, she's dead."

It didn't matter which of them said it, didn't matter which of them tried to rest their hand on her shoulder, to pull her away from her mother. She wasn't going to stop, she wasn't going to listen. They were _wrong._ She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. It wasn't allowed.

She had fifty more years with her. At least that many. Liz Forbes was strong; she might even be able to make it all the way to one hundred. She just needed to drink the blood, for her heart to start pumping again, chest to keep moving up and down, that damn hole in her head to go away. Why wouldn't it go away? It was supposed to be gone by now. It never took this long to heal.

"She's gone."

Bonnie.

Caroline looked toward her voice, gaze blurry and she couldn't figure out why at first. She should have beyond perfect vision, but it was hard to see through the tears. "Where's the witch?"

The one with her mother's name. "Bring her back. She can bring her back."

"I can't do that."

Lies, lies, lies.

She didn't mean to abandon her mother's body in that moment. Didn't mean to have the witch Liz against the wall, hand locked around her throat and ready to squeeze the life out of her in an instant.

"Yes you can. Bonnie did it. You can too. Bring her back."

Jeremy got to live. _Twice._ More than that with the damn ring. Why didn't mom get a ring? They should have given her mother one after what had happened to everyone else. Why hadn't she thought of that? Or putting vampire blood in her mother's coffee every morning. Just a little. Just in case.

So many plans that she should have done that wouldn't work any longer.

The pain in her head was almost welcomed, releasing her hold on the witch as she fell to her knees; looking over toward her mother's…she couldn't think of it as a body. Bodies decayed, wasted away to nothing more than bones after enough time had passed. They weren't able to answer the phone after she'd had a particularly trying day at school. They couldn't stroke her hair when she rested her head against their shoulder during one of their movie marathons. They didn't have a pulse that helped lull her to sleep when she stayed over in her childhood room.

The pain let up, and the world around her was forgotten as she flashed back to her mother, pushing Damon the hell out of the way as she scooped her up and walked away. She didn't run, didn't use an ounce of vampire speed as she held Liz' body close, moving through the woods without a thought running through her head. It was just blank, unable to take in what had happened and she kept going until she was clear of the Mystic Falls line.

It was only once she was past that invisible border that Caroline set her mother down and sat beside her. She held the unresponsive hand to her cheek, remembering the way it felt to have it move, and looked down at her mother's face, pushing the eyelids closed. She couldn't stand looking at that empty gaze.

Maybe it was minutes; maybe it was hours later she heard the rustling of underbrush as Stefan headed toward her, sighing as he spotted her. He didn't say a word as he sat beside her, looking down at her mother.

Their shadows altered as the sun shifted in the sky until eventually it was gone and only the moon and stars offered any light. Not that they needed, not that her mother did either.

"We need to get her back. Get our stories straight and take her to the morgue."

She shook her head, holding Liz' hand a little tighter. "I won't bury her there." Not in that town.

There had been plans. Finish college, get her mother out of Mystic Falls, take her to see beaches with white sand and buildings for older than anything they had seen. And every single one of them had been snuffed out in a matter of seconds, but this one she could carry out. This one she would see through.

Liz Forbes would not be buried in that tiny town because Caroline was never going to step foot back inside of it and she would want to visit her mother's grave. "I want to do it here."

Somewhere that she would know and maybe in time she could bring her someplace else, give her a respectable headstone in a graveyard in Italy or Spain, whichever place she came to like best. But for now this would do.

"Caroline."

She couldn't stand the pity in his tone, the way it made her insides twist and turn, ripping her apart. Liz was _her_mom. It was her loss and she was going to get the final say. "Help me, please."

He was gone and back within moments and she watched gratefully as Stefan started to dig the hole. Though she didn't watch him long, her gaze back to her mother, trying to sear the image minus the bullet hole into her mind. Caroline didn't want to forget that particular smell that she always associated with her. Dove soap and calamine lotion mixed with that corn remover she used on her feet every so often. She didn't want to forget the exact shade of her eyes, the difference in pitch to her voice depending on what they were talking about. She needed to have it all memorized, needed to categorize it in her mind to help her remember it after a hundred years had passed. Two. Three. A thousand.

Liz Forbes wasn't allowed to be something lost to the sands of time. She didn't want to forget a single aspect of her. Even if she felt like she was already confusing exactly how her mother's touch had been, the cold hand that was left now a poor substitute for the real thing.

"It's deep enough that the animals shouldn't get her." Caroline looked up again then, her gaze locking with his. "I'll check to make sure they don't."

That was the nice thing about her friendship with Stefan. Caroline didn't even say anything for him to know she wasn't coming back. Not for a very long time. "When you get wherever you are going send me an address and I'll send you whatever you want."

She simply nodded and looked back at her mother one last time before picking her up to put into the newly dug grave. Stefan filled it in and she watched, shutting her eyes as the dirt hit her mother's face. She couldn't watch that part and didn't open them until he was finished.

Caroline looked around at the spot one last time, cataloguing it to her memory as well before she flashed away, not saying goodbye. She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do. All she knew was she needed to get as far away from Mystic Falls as possible. Her feet took her all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, stopping right as she met the surf and she sat down, not caring as the sea splashed up around her, soaking her clothes.

She would figure out new plans from the ashes of her old ones, take the broken pieces of glass that was her life at the moment, shattered all around her, and piece them together into something new. Maybe they would break again in new ways but she'd pick them up and start all over, molding it until she figured out what to do next. After all she had eternity, even if her mother didn't.

But for now, she would simply sit and look out at the ocean and let herself crumble.

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**A/N: I'll be updating the next part right away. Or you know as soon as ff lets me!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is how the world continues on,**

**Part 2 of 2**

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Caroline isn't even gone a day when the text messages and calls start. She's not sure if it surprises her or not, hadn't really expected anything from any of them. Surely Stefan has told them why she's gone.

Bonnie's texts are all the same,_Where are you, Caroline? Are you coming back? We miss you. Call me._

She is the only one who gets an actual reply to let her know she's still alive.

Damon's message is deleted as soon as she reads it, _What the hell blondie, you weren't the only one who cared for her._She nearly smashes her phone after that one too. The only reason she doesn't is because she hasn't memorized a number since she was seven and she does want to keep in contact with Stefan and Bonnie, though they probably could have figured out a way to contact her later.

There is a voicemail a week later from a number that she doesn't know but once she hears that voice on the damn phone she hit 9, unable to listen to it. She can't bring herself to delete it either but she isn't ready to hear whatever he has to say. So she saves it each time it comes up on the voicemail menu, listening to the others left by her friends and deleting those.

The texts and voicemails stop after a few weeks, only receiving follow ups every so often from Stefan and Bonnie but even the two of them stop after a while. Which suits Caroline just fine. It isn't that she doesn't love them but she needs the distance, needs to break ties as best she can and try to do something new.

She starts in Spain, shifting eventually over to France for a moment and then meanders her way to Germany. Soaking in the cultures, trying out the food, and seeing everything and anything that she can. It is all a whirlwind, one that she thoroughly enjoys. Taking pictures of this place, buying mementos of that one, learning bits and pieces of the languages as she dances through the streets.

Caroline is certain that her mother would have been pleased, happy that she is finally seeing the world, enjoying life again and away from all the trouble that seems to surround her hometown. Eventually she's in Italy, nowhere near Rome, unable to make her feet step anywhere near the area. Not that she'll allow herself to think why, not that it matters why.

It's been three months since her mother died and that's when the texts start coming again. From an unknown number that she never replies to but she knows deep down in her bones who each one of them is from.

There isn't anything to them really, ideas of where she should go once she's in Italy, something she should eat, a museum she might want to try. Little tidbits of information about the town she's currently in or a historical spot that just happens to be nearby. She can't find anyone following her, doesn't sense that she's being followed, and she spends a good three days _looking_for someone who is on her tail. But she never spots anyone, never gets the feeling that anyone is following her, and she's not sure if that makes her happy or sad or what. But she enjoys the texts, following through with them at times, ignoring their advice at others.

He's half a world away and like hell she'll let him control her decisions. She's only doing the ones that appeal to her and possibly storing away the others ones for later.

The next set of voicemails start when she's in Greece, lounging out by the hotel pool and enjoying the sun. It's different than in Virginia, she'd swear to that. Though she can't explain why that is, but she knows its true, feels that to the tips of her toes as she pushes her sunglasses into place.

The messages are not what she wants to hear, all of them the same, all _telling her_—not asking, oh no, _never asking_—that she needs to come home.

There is something happening again. Someone after Elena. Something to do with doppelgangers or vampires or who knows what. She doesn't really care. Caroline knows she should care, knows that it should matter and she should try and help them defeat whatever is happening back in Mystic Falls. But she had meant it when she said she wasn't stepping foot back in that town. She'd go back to Virginia at some point to visit her mother's grave, probably to move her to some place that Caroline could actually stand visiting.

But they keep calling, keep insisting. One after the other and the guilt starts to eat at her. Guilt mixed with anger that they were trying to pull her back to that town, to that life, but it brings her to the airport, has her sitting on one of the benches as she waits for the plane to land so she can board it and head back to Virginia. The hours tick by and she sits in silence, the guilt chipping away at her, and she feels like a statue being remodeled with each piece that seems to fall to the floor.

The plane comes and goes without her ever getting on board. She tosses her phone into the nearest trashcan as she walks out of the airport and away from that mess forever. It is like a weight has been lifted clean off her shoulders as she heads back out into the sun, not at all sure where she's going. Her only regret that she never did take a chance to listen to that voicemail that she kept on saving, unable to help herself from wondering what he'd said.

Years pass, she gives up counting how many after the fifth. She runs into Rebekah in Portugal, snarky comments flying between the two of them before they settle down and Rebekah ends up showing Caroline a thing or two about being a vampire. It's not like she's stuck to blood bags or been chasing down animals since she left Mystic Falls. Though she tried to stick to that diet for a while, but getting hold of blood bags isn't as easy as it was back home and after she nearly killed someone from lack of blood, Caroline learned the art of compelling, drinking a little and moving on. But she'd never been to an actual vampire bar, hadn't even known of their existence.

Rebekah and her dance the night away, trading tales of what's been happening since they last saw one another. The Original knows more about her friends than she does and look at that, Elena is just fine, Bonnie isn't an anchor or dead any longer, off and married, has a daughter. Matt died. Sacrificed himself for whatever big bad had come into town wanting to use Elena.

"Waste of a good life," Rebekah mutters, downing another shot of tequila and Caroline joins her in that, noting the love in the woman's voice.

They travel together for a few years, becoming something close to friends even if half the time they want to wring the others neck. Eventually they part ways in South America, but not before Rebekah says something that Caroline can never seem to shake from her mind as time goes on.

"He's still waiting for you. Don't get me wrong, he's not exactly celibate, but I see the way he looks to the door every so often, waiting for you to appear at it."

She's gone before Caroline can respond and Caroline decides she hates her in that moment for putting the thoughts in her head, the ones that twist down deep, burrowing their way inside and setting down roots that she can never quite pry up. No matter how hard she tries.

Caroline eventually sees Bonnie again, when her friend is nearing death but not quite gone. They're in Arizona, far enough away from Mystic Falls but still too close for Caroline's liking. They talk for hours, catching up on one another's lives.

"I never blamed you for not coming back," Bonnie tells her, and Caroline shrugs.

"I never blamed you for trying to make me." Or at least, she forgave her for that a long time ago.

She hears a month later through the grapevine that Bonnie is dead, passed away in her sleep, and Caroline decides she doesn't want to be in the Americas any longer.

She sees Stefan while she's in Australia, unsurprised to see him with Elena and Damon, and can't help but roll her eyes at the fact that the three of them are together. They'll never be apart for long, she gets that now, but she can't go back to that way of living, that constant struggle of who would love Elena more being entirely too consuming. She simply waves at him, smiles at the recognition in his eyes as he spots her but she's gone before he can move.

Caroline won't be pulled back into that orbit. She's much too strong for that now.

Italy has become her favorite place in her travels so she heads back there, enjoying the food, the language, taking in the history of the place. Rumors start circulating after about two weeks that _he's_ come to Italy to live. That _the family_ is taking up residence in Milan and so she tries to stay away from it, annoyed that he's picked the city she loves the most. How is she supposed to keep up on the latest fashions now?

She sticks to the beaches, ignoring the gossip that circulates in the supernatural community, tries to cut down the seedlings that are pushing up in her brain, grumbling that she never did get rid of all those roots.

It works for almost a year, but all avoidance really seems to do for her is allow that seedling to fully grow and near full bloom. Maybe that's why she finds herself in Milan, hearing about some grand ball that she doesn't have an invitation for, but something tells her she doesn't need one. She doesn't wait for that event, walking up to the pristine mansion in the middle of the day.

With all the comings and goings of various staff getting everything together for that night she's easy enough to blend in, walking into the house without anyone questioning her. She should probably stop and ask someone where he is, if he's even there, but she _knows_ that he is, can sense him like she's been able to since that night he saved her life. It only strengthened after he did it the second time. You know, _after_ nearly killing her.

She's at the door that she can sense him behind and hesitates for only a moment before she opens it and walks in. Her insecurities almost take root when he turns to look at her, staring at her as if she's a ghost or something he never thought he'd see before. But they all come crashing down, ripped away forever with two simple words that if she's honest with herself she's been waiting to hear again for far too long.

"Hello, Caroline."

And just like that, she's across the room, flashing to him in an instant and crashing her mouth against his, needing to feel him, to let the emotions that she's been coming to grips with over the past century finally come into play. He's kissing her back before she can worry, crushing her against him and if she was human she would have bruises from his grip, but any she might have heal long before she ever feels them.

She knows in her gut that there's no backing out of this, that stepping into this house now, that coming to him like this means eternity. But she's okay with that, tired of seeing the world on her own, always moving from place to place without much thought. Though she did love her time, had needed that century to figure out so many things.

"I decided to go with a century," she whispers as they break apart, foreheads pressed together and she can almost feel his smile, doesn't need to look up to see it.

She returns to the outskirts of Mystic Falls and retrieves what's left of her mother, burying her at the estate in Italy. Her grave resides on a tiny hill and its one of the most peaceful spots that Caroline could find, overlooking so much beauty.

"I miss you mommy."

She can't quite remember the color of her eyes or her unique scent anymore, but she remembers the love she felt for her mother, knows the love she's found since then and is happy to know her life is really only just beginning. She wants to live it all to the fullest. Something her mother can never do, something Matt wasn't able to do either. Something she's pretty sure even Elena with her immortality isn't really getting a crack at with the Salvatore brothers always at her heels.

Caroline trudges back down the hill, finding Klaus in the study, terrorizing some poor individual who did something to annoy the Hybrid. She breezes right into the room, pressing a kiss to Klaus' cheek.

"Seriously? Before breakfast?" she tsks, making her distaste in the matter known as she heads out of the room. "Don't get blood on that carpet."

She really shouldn't chuckle at Klaus's, "Seems we'll be needing to move this chat outside, mate."

It's messy and he can be downright annoying and make her want to throttle him much like his sister does when she reappears every other year or so, but Caroline finds that she finally feels happy. That she feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in ages, and its nice to be loved and to love someone back again. Something she hasn't really done since her mother died.

One century down, she really can't wait to live out the rest of them.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: AU!Klaroline. I kept forgetting to add this one to this series.**

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**Red**

* * *

Caroline had been hearing the same words from her mother since she was five years old: Don't go off the path, head straight there, and do not talk to anyone she didn't know. Why her mother insisted on repeatedly telling her the same rules when there had never been a stranger on the road in the twelve years she had been walking the very same path to Bonnie's grandmother's house was beyond her. Everyone knew everyone in their tiny little town and strangers hadn't set foot inside or around it in all of the years that Caroline could remember—aside from the traders who stopped by a few times a year, but they hardly counted—so was it really her fault that she had become rather complacent in regards to her mother's rules?

What could it hurt if she took her time, picking some more herbs for Sheila to use in the potion she was brewing? Or took a few minutes, maybe an hour, to curl up under a tree and jot down a couple more ideas for the winter festival? She was simply making use of her time! The entire day was allotted to her going to and from her friend's grandmother's house. Heading back to an empty house while her mother worked wasn't something that Caroline looked forward to so she settled down under the tree, jotting down ideas as they came to her.

She almost didn't hear the sound of footsteps nearing her, too engrossed in what she was doing, but something caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up, a shiver running down her spine as she glanced around the small clearing next to the path. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but from the way the shadows fell as she stood up Caroline knew she had been writing far longer than she had meant to.

Tucking the book into the basket, she slipped back into her shoes that she'd flung off to better feel the grass beneath her feet. Caroline started for the path and a chill wind swept through the area, causing her to remove the red hood from the basket and tie it around her neck for some protection.

"That flimsy material isn't going to protect you from much," came a voice from behind her, and Caroline whirled around, not knowing who it belonged to. The accent was unlike any she had ever heard, even from the traders that sometimes came to Mystic Falls, and she didn't like how it seemed to caress her skin, sending tiny shivers up her spine.

A handsome young man leaned against a tree a few feet behind her and she narrowed her eyes at the rather appreciative look he had as he openly looked her up and down. Caroline tightened the hood in place, covering herself as best she could, and jutted her chin out. "Yeah, thanks for the advice," she replied, curiously looking him over once as well. "But I'm sure it'll suffice until I get where I'm headed."

"I don't know, sweetheart," he started, pushing himself off the tree. "You never know what can happen within moments out in these woods."

"I've lived here all of my life and nothing ever happens in these woods." Like ever. There was that one time that little Jeremy Gilbert had gotten lost for a few hours, but he'd been found soon enough.

"Really? Because I've been hearing the most interesting tales from people," he stated, and Caroline scoffed at that which only seemed to amuse the man further.

"I'm guessing from the locals at the watering hole who like to rehash the tale of the wolf that roams around these woods?" Caroline rolled her eyes as she finished. It was a tale meant to scare children into behaving. The Big Bad Wolf would come and abscond with any of them who dared defy their parents. "The tale about how he's supposed to come and take away a pretty young girl each year for whatever nefarious purposes he's got planned." There hadn't been a single young girl that had gone missing in the seventeen years she'd been alive. It was just another story that the elders told like Snow White and Cinderella. Or the other wolf one about Peter and his lies.

"There aren't even any wolves in this area. Bear and deer, sure, but no one's seen a wolf since I was born."

"And how long ago was that?" he asked, and Caroline wondered when the hell he had gotten closer to her and how she hadn't noticed. She repositioned the basket to be in front of her, pressing her lips together as she looked at him.

"It's rude for a strange man to ask a woman her age," she pointed out, and he held up his hands, apologetic smile on his face though it was absolutely ruined by the twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm Klaus." He motioned to her. "Now you tell me your name and we'll no longer be strangers."

Caroline didn't like the way his lips curved into an almost predatory smile as he looked at her. He looked like he wanted to eat her up and Caroline had a feeling that if given the opportunity he might do just that. "Right. Nice talking to you, but I've got places to be, people who are expecting me." _So if you try anything creepily attractive stranger, they'll come for me._

She turned on her heel, intent on getting the hell away from him and to Sheila's. "Why the rush, love?" Klaus called, and Caroline yelped as one strong arm grasped her around her waist, the other clasping down on her mouth to stifle her screams. "You owe me your name."

Caroline tried to use her elbow to knock enough wind out of Klaus so that she could slip from his grip, but he only tightened his hold on her, laughter tickling her ear as his lips brushed against it. "Now be a good girl and tell me what it is," he suggested, and she clamped her mouth shut, refusing to give him what he wanted. "Tell me and maybe I'll let you go."

She didn't think he really would, something about the lilting tone he was using, the way his free hand smoothed the hair from her neck before letting his fingers dance along her skin, but she had to have hope she could get out of the situation she'd gotten herself in. "Caroline," she growled, twisting in his embrace again, trying to stomp on his foot.

He whirled her around, face entirely too close to hers for comfort, fingers locked tightly against her wrists. "You should have listened to the stories, little Caroline."

Her eyes widened at the gold in his eyes, the fangs that had descended in his mouth—my what big teeth you have—but her voice seemed to have escaped her as he leaned forward again, nose brushing against hers. "We're going to have so much fun together," he told her, and before she knew it his teeth were ripping into his forearm before pressing it against her mouth and forcing the blood down her throat.

She stumbled back from him once he dropped his arm, trying to spit out the blood she had already swallowed, but he caught her again before she could get too far. "You'll thank me later," he told her, lips pressing to her forehead.

Caroline never got a chance to say anything, all of her protests, her screams dying on her lips as he snapped her neck, catching her before her body could hit the ground.

The only thing the townspeople ever found was her red cloak laying on the side of the path.


	7. Chapter 7

**It's Klaroweek over on tumblr so I wrote two drabbles for day 1. We'll see if I keep up this stamina for day 2. There's a canon and and then AU one.**

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**Drabble #1 for Klaroweek Day #1, continuation of the 3x11 scene from Caroline's POV.**

What exactly are you supposed to do with a bracelet that you're pretty sure cost like a couple grand, maybe even more considering _who_ it had once belonged to and how he could so easily acquire anything that he wanted? Was this him trying to acquire her? Was that what was going on? She'd felt more than seen him touch the bracelet that had been on her wrist, little trinkets dangling from it, pieces of the girl she'd been, of the relationships she'd formed. Felt it because her vision had steadily become blurrier with each passing moment, her hearing spiking, picking up on too many things as the hallucinations had wanted to truly take hold of her.

Part of her was convinced she'd dreamt half of what had happened the night before. That obviously the gentle hand on the back of her head, the soft spoken words about beauty and the world and everything she longed for had been her own imagination running wild. But then there had been the box on her nightstand, wrapped up with a simple ribbon and what the hell was she supposed to do with that? With the gorgeous bracelet that was locked up inside.

Obviously she couldn't wear it! Tyler would know that he hadn't given it to her and all of her friends would probably worry even more for her to be accepting such extravagant gifts from Tyler who was _supposed _to be her ex considering everything with the sire bond. And shouldn't the fact he'd bitten her last night _on her birthday_ only hammer that notion into her head?

The fact that'd she'd received it from _Klaus_ of all people would really not go over well. Elena would probably look at her uncertain what to even say, maybe mention Jenna again. Bonnie would have some choice words as would Damon. Matt would probably shake his head and Stefan…well, he'd probably think it meant something and end up using her in his latest scheme to destroy Klaus.

Which _no thank you_ she had a calculus test to take.

But what was supposed to happen now? Did she hide it away in her sock drawer, never to be looked at again, did she give it back, or did she toss it away and try to simply forget about its existence? Option two was just not happening. She wasn't about to go and seek out the Big Bad Hybrid himself and ask why the hell he'd given her a gift. Option three wasn't about to happen either because it was too beautiful to toss into the river or lake or wherever. Knowing her luck Damon would fish it out and give it to Elena and she'd have to endure watching her friend wear the bracelet that was _hers_.

Hiding it away wasn't what she wanted to do either. Beauty like she saw in the bracelet wasn't something that should be hidden away from the world but allowed to shine for all to see.

The bastard had probably known his gift would be causing such a conflicted reaction in her. He was probably nearby laughing at her expense, thinking it would drive her insane. Maybe that had been his plan all along, to mess with each and every one of them until they broke apart, unable to do any real damage to him.

Caroline couldn't help but glance toward the window at that thought, moving to close the blinds because obviously Klaus _could_ actually be watching her and he'd already come back into her house once after giving her his blood. Like she could discount that he'd never do that again.

Was this going to be like Damon? Not that she had even remembered what all had occurred before her transition, but all of the fear, the terror before he made her forget was rushing back, reminding her that she didn't have any control. But like hell was she going to let Klaus take control from her, not when she had worked _so hard_ to get it back, to scrounge up from the ashes of her human life and give birth to something greater. She wasn't about to let him spike her paranoia and have her looking over her shoulder wondering and waiting for what happened next.

It was just a stupid bracelet.

A stupid, _gorgeous_ bracelet.

And it could stay in its box on the top of her vanity, maybe opened just a little so that it could sparkle in the sunlight.

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**Drabble #2, alternate way of a first meeting. Also AU. And all human. Also my first all human. Wow.**

The downtown, overly priced, exotic lounge was not somewhere that Caroline would usually end up at. She preferred the bar a few blocks down, the one that all the college students—like her—went to. Where a game was on the television and the environment was rowdy, a mix of yells over whatever was happening on the screen and conversation that ranged from someone trying to pick up someone else to how horrible one class or teacher was. That was her element, it reminded her of home, of the Mystic Grill and late night study sessions with her friends. It was in fact where all of her friends went to unwind and that fact was precisely why she wasn't about to go there.

Recent break up with Tyler aside, if she had to watch Elena make out with Damon one more time or Stefan and her new roommate skirt around their attraction one more time she was going to scream. She had needed something new, something different where she didn't feel like the fifth wheel in their little group.

Not that sitting at the bar in the new place was turning out to be all that great either. The pick up lines were atrocious, the apparent money in these men and women's pockets inflating their egos and belief that they could so easily get into her pants to a ridiculous degree. Even the bartender was rolling his eyes at the amount of attempts.

"Can't a girl just get a drink in peace?" she muttered, popping the olive into her mouth and swirling the toothpick around in her glass.

"Not in that number," the bartender pointed out, glancing up from polishing a glass and giving her a quick lookover.

So she'd worn one of her tiny black dresses that hugged all her curves in just the right ways, showed off a nice bit of cleavage and was definitely trying to make a statement. Of course that statement was supposed to be for Tyler, to show him all that he'd thrown away when she'd caught him cheating on her with another cheerleader. And not even one of the good ones! He'd picked a freaking alternate.

But after hearing another voicemail pleading with her to give him another chance only to spot him going into the usual bar with Hayley draped all over him had curtailed Caroline's plans pretty quickly.

"Double martini," an accented voice drawled beside her and Caroline arched a brow at it, watching the bartender—was it Marty? She thought it was Marty—start to work on the drink for the new customer. "And one for the lady as well."

"I'm good, thanks," Caroline bit out, rolling her eyes at the presumption that the stranger could simply buy her a drink. "Also if you were actually paying attention, you'd see I already have one."

She glanced over at the stranger, trying not to react to the his gorgeous face that was completely ruined by the self-important smirk on his face. She did have to give him props for not blatantly staring at her breasts like nearly every other guy who'd tried buying her a drink at that point. "Noticed that you're almost done with that one as well, sweetheart," he told her, sitting down on the stool beside her. "And its all you've been drinking since you graced this place with your presence."

She rolled her eyes again at that and turned back to her drink. And here started the compliments. It was getting old. Gorgeous face and nice accent aside she really should have expected just as much. "It's nice to see that no matter the club that men's pick up lines and compliments are still as awful as ever," Caroline replied, picking up her own glass and raising it toward the stranger.

"I'll let you in on a little secret," he started, leaning in a little but nothing inappropriate, his voice hushed, and she couldn't help but be a little intrigued. "We were all given the same book on our thirteenth birthday. It's why you hear the same old few lines from everyone."

Caroline couldn't help but laugh at that, especially when he coupled it with a disarming grin, dimples showing. Why'd it have to be dimples? She was such a sucker for those.

"Caroline." The first time she'd given up her name to anyone that evening.

"Should I do the 'beautiful name for a beautiful'—no?" he kept grinning even as she tsked. "Klaus. Mind if I buy you that drink? I can fill you in on everything else that boys were told on their thirteenth birthday. Confirm all your little suspicions."

It sounded better than sitting at the bar alone, getting hit on repeatedly. Plus she liked his face and his accent and what could be the harm in some fun conversation. "Alright," Caroline told him, leaning in a little closer. "But just so you know, I am too smart to be seduced by you."

If anything Klaus' grin only seemed to brighten at that. "Maybe that's why I find you so intriguing."

She waved that off, picking up the new martini set in front of her. "Get on with the stories, Klaus."

Two hours later and they were stumbling through the door to her apartment, jacket hitting the floor, dress falling into a pool around her feet as lips, hands and bodies pressed together in the best ways. The light hadn't been on and Caroline had glimpsed Elena and Damon still in the bar while she'd led Klaus back to her apartment, but she really should have tried harder to spot the others.

Because as soon as Klaus and her crashed into the wall, his teeth scraping along her neck, the lights in the living room turned on, and the two of them froze. "I'm quite happy you've decided to move on from that lowlife and get yourself some, Caroline," Rebekah started, clearly annoyed. "But if you could refrain from breaking the decor I'd—Nik!"

It took Caroline's brain a moment to register what exactly was happening. Klaus was setting her back down, picking up her dress for her and she was trying to pull it back over her head, wondering why her roommate was yelling at the man she'd picked up. "Niklaus Mikaelson, you know the rule about shagging any of my friends!" Rebekah was practically screaming.

Niklaus? Nik. Klaus. Oh shit.

Caroline knew Rebekah had a lot of brothers—though she'd only ever met Elijah and the youngest one—seen a few photographs of all of them together as kids, but she definitely wouldn't have been able to pick Klaus out from any of them.

Her attention was drawn over to Rebekah's bedroom, watching Stefan walk out of the room, hair disheveled and half asleep. "Well. This has definitely turned out to be an interesting evening," Caroline stated, rather loudly to get everyone's attention. "So, Bekah, you go back and sleep and I'll just show Klaus out."

Rebekah narrowed her eyes, though at her brother which Caroline was grateful for. "You keep those hands of yours to yourself!" she snapped at him.

"I'm quite certain that Caroline enjoyed where I had my hands," Klaus replied, and Caroline sighed, knowing that would only infuriate the girl more.

"I'm calling Elijah!" Rebekah announced, flouncing back into the bedroom and slamming the door shut.

Stefan raked a hand through his hair, looking over at all of them and unsure what was even happening. "You can sleep on the couch or take up some of my bed," Caroline offered him, before turning to look at Klaus and motioning for him to head toward the front door.

"Since it seems that all the rooms here are currently occupied, why don't we continue this over at my place. I'm still moving in but it does have the essentials," Klaus told her, and did he have to slide his hand along the curve of her hip just like that.

"I think I'd rather go with what happened was a nice little wake up call and proof that we should call it a night right now," she told him, opening up the front door.

"I never was one to listen to my sister," Klaus replied, though he did step through to the hallway.

"Yes, but I quite like her and don't need the added headache of not being here when she wakes up." Caroline already knew she was in for an earful in the morning. No need to add to it.

"I'll be sure to see you around then, Caroline," Klaus told her, that hint of a challenge in his voice and something told Caroline that they weren't anywhere near finished this dance.

"I'm sure you will," she replied, and closed the door before anything else could be said, resting her head against it for a moment.

When she turned around she was face to face with a not so pleased roommate. So much for waiting until the morning. But even with how livid Rebekah seemed to be over the situation, Caroline couldn't quite wipe the tiny grin off of her face.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: These would be why there will be no updates to TDB and WtLOR this week. **

* * *

**#1 drabble request: klaroline fight and Caroline decides she needs some space and tries to temporarily move out. Klaus stops her.**

"Caroline—" Klaus started, not surprised when she whirled around on him, still stuffing clothing into her suitcase. He'd known she wouldn't take kindly to what he'd been doing,but he hadn't expected this bad of a reaction.

"No. I cannot even look at you right now, let alone sleep in the same damn room as you," she snapped at him, slamming her suitcase shut. "I'm going to Rebekah's, who by the way also thinks you're an idiot. Hybrids. Like seriously?! Didn't we already drive that dead horse into the damn ground?"

Was it his fault that his sources had learned that the doppelgänger line had actually continued on? That Elena's grandmother had been a twin and that side of the family had continued on, a doppelgänger finally being born some hundred years since Elena's transformation. "It will be different this time," he tried to assure her, but she only rolled her eyes at him, clearly not believing that.

Klaus grabbed her arm, keeping it in his grasp even as she tried to yank it away. He needed her to listen, couldn't let her just walk out of their home, out of their life. Not over this, not over something he hadn't even done yet, only considered.

"Oh, so you won't be draining some poor girl dry of her blood so you can make a little army for yourself?" Caroline demanded, still trying to wrench her arm free.

"My plan was to take the bag she donates to the Red Cross once a month," he replied, and Caroline froze at that.

"Oh my god. Have you been stalking her?!" He shrugged and she did that silent counting in her head that meant she was at her wit's end with him. "So okay, the girl will be fine, but what about the hybrids? All sire bound and forced to serve your every damn whim? So not okay."

Perhaps saying 'and your whims too' would not go over like he wanted it to. "I just…why do you even want them?" She finally asked, and now she wasn't even looking at him and Klaus found that to be worse than the yelling. "I thought…are you not happy?"

He picked up on the insecurity in her voice in seconds, that droop of her shoulders, and had a feeling she was biting her lip as she often did when a wave of it set in. He'd be damned if he was the one to cause a bout of it in her though. "I've never been as happy as I am with you, Caroline," he tried to assure, stroking her cheek.

She slammed the suitcase into his side, causing him to release her and headed toward the door. "Then you can think about that while I'm at your sister's, giving you time to decide exactly how you're going to go about with this hybrid business in a way that let's me stay in your life as well."

Klaus watched her leave, clenching his fists at his side. His first instinct was to tear the bedroom apart, to unleash all of his fury at the room since he couldn't at the woman walking away from him. But he would do whatever it took to bring her back to him and knew he'd be in for a long lectures if a single item in their bedroom was out of place when she did return.

"And don't think this gets you out of family dinner on Friday!" her voice echoed through the house before he heard the front door shut and her footsteps on the cobblestone outside.

Perhaps he could go find Damon and release some of the anger on him. It'd been over a decade since their last meeting. He was about due another encounter.

And then he'd figure out what exactly to do about everything else.

* * *

**#2 Drabble Prompt: Caroline meets Hope for the first time years later, on Klaus' arm. Jealousy ensues, until she's told the truth by Klaus/Hope. Love and fluff follows?**

_I will let you all know now this is the_ **only **_thing I will write with Hope. And it was really hard to write cause her existence makes no sense to me. Kthanx. _

Seventeen years. That was how long it took for Caroline to finally show up at his door. Or well, it was more that she'd shown up in his city with the purpose of showing up at his door once she could get her feet to actually walk in that direction. It had taken a lot of pain and inner reflection, leaving behind the life that had become a shell of who she was, too torn apart by circumstance to ever really be put back together for her to ever set foot in New Orleans.

She'd passed by it from time to time over the years, nearly bought a plane ticket every so often, called his phone number here and there even if she never actually responded once he answered the phone. It took losing her mother to finally break away from Mystic Falls and all of the drama, setting out to make her own way in the world, not wanting to be beholden to anyone but herself. She saw the others from time to time, Bonnie with her greying hair, Stefan with the sadness in his eyes that she doubted would ever fully go away. And then Elena and Damon—she was never quite sure who was more broken out of the pair of them. Even the broken pieces didn't seem to fit all that well together any longer, but they stayed fastened to one another's side through all of it.

So Caroline had finally decided to seek out Klaus. Not to start anything with him, that was so not the point—only it was even if she steadfastly kept denying it. She just wanted to see him, to talk to him, to get a feel for which promise he actually meant to keep. The one in the woods or the one at graduation. They kind of contradicted one another and yet, didn't really, not if she wasn't in Mystic Falls. It was enough to mess with a girl's head.

It was easy enough to find him, rumor of where he'd be spread like wildfire through the Quarter. She just hadn't expected to see a pretty brunette about the same age as she'd been when she'd died hanging on his arms. The pain that gripped her heart came on quickly and she turned, trying to get through the crowded street without being seen, hoping that all of those in the area would blind him to her scent. Not that he probably even remembered it.

She'd barely made it to the nearest alley way when he was in front of her, looking startled and then relieved all at once, smiling brightly as he looked at her. "Caroline." Her name shouldn't come out like a caress, shouldn't sound like water given to a starving man.

"I shouldn't be here," she muttered and moved to flash away, to put more distance between them. Klaus seemed to pick up on what she was doing the second before she did it though, catching her arm in his hand, unwilling to let her go.

"I'm fairly certain that this is precisely where you should be," Klaus replied, and she knew he wasn't going to release his grip unless she made him. She might not be anywhere near as strong as him but her words had always been able to make him fumble, maybe that still held true.

"Sorry, I'm not really in the mood to be part of a harem or anything." Not her best material but she enjoyed the way his brows knitted together, the confusion on his face that almost gave her hope that she'd been wrong before realization replaced it. So the woods promise had been the one he'd kept.

She was free.

Funny how she felt even more of a prisoner in her own skin.

"I take it that you're referring to the brunette standing over there," Klaus asked, waving at the young woman that was watching them curiously. Caroline didn't bother to answer or glance in her direction, glaring at Klaus instead. Couldn't he just let her leave now? "My daughter, Caroline."

Wait.

What?

That didn't make any sense. Caroline didn't have any time to even contemplate any of it though before the girl was at their side, smiling brightly at her and Caroline couldn't discount that those were definitely Klaus' dimples on her face. "You're Caroline. I'd know your face anywhere," the young woman told her, extending a hand in greeting. "He still draws you all the time. Usually with a horse or sometimes in the—"

"That'll be all, Hope," Klaus admonished, but Hope only grinned.

"I'll see you at home. I think you two have some catching up to do," his daughter continued, dropping a kiss against Klaus' cheek before heading off into the crowd.

"Shall we go for a walk and I'll explain everything?" Klaus suggested and Caroline could only nod, still not sure she'd actually witnessed what she thought she had. "Perhaps we'll get some champagne? You look like you could use a drink, love."

"Well, that is our thing," she murmured, letting him tug her along and feeling a little less lost than she had moments before.

_"That it is."_

* * *

**#3 klaroline : my slender waist and thighs are exhausted and weak from a night of cloud dancing.**

There were mornings that she woke up and couldn't quite remember how they even made it into their bed the night before. He had a thousand years of experience on her nineteen years, a thousand plus tricks that she's never even dreamed about yet alone experienced and yet she could undo him with a look, a bite that he's not expecting as he drives her over the edge with just the right thrust of his hips, the angle of his tongue and they both come cascading down, a mess of limbs tangled together when they're through.

She wasn't sure what to expect afterward the first time. Usually she fled the scene, not wanting to embark on the cuddling that would happen or time would warrant leaving the bed and heading off to deal with the rest of the day. But it was never that way with Klaus.

Even in the morning or after they'd taken turns pining one another to the wall, the entire hallway demolished around them from all of their movement, he wanted to hold her close. He wouldn't speak and neither would she, not even when she knew it was time for them to get up and start with the day, not when anyone could walk in on them still pressed to the wall, his head buried in her neck, just breathing in the scent of her.

Caroline wondered why he felt the need to hold her close even decades after being together. Shouldn't the appeal have worn off by that point? Not that she wanted it to, enjoying how perfectly she fit into his arms and how his scent wrapped around her in those moments, mixing the two of them together.

She asked him one day, body half on top of his, while his fingers tangled in her hair, other hand tracing lines along her backside. "Making up for lost time," he murmured before his hand drifted to her thighs and Caroline had a feeling they wouldn't be leaving the be anytime soon.

* * *

**#4 Drabble request: anything with a Mikaelson family dinner (Kalijah, stebekah, kennet, klaroline of course)**

Why Caroline had ever thought family dinner nights would be a good idea was beyond her. A few weeks ago she'd have been able to pull out an entire list of reasons on why it would bring about family bonding and less maiming and killing of innocents. Now she was pretty sure all it was doing was driving her to need another drink and want to stab the Hybrid sitting at the other end of the table, admiring his handiwork.

Maybe she should have known better than to insist on Klaus coming to the dinner, telling him that he wasn't allowed to be out of town or away on some little side mission in New Orleans with some vampire or another had probably not gone over all that well. But seriously could it kill all of them to try and be civilised in one another's presence for a few hours? It wasn't like she wanted them there indefinitely. Just a few hours on a Friday night to catch up on one another's lives.

It'd been decades since they'd seen Elijah…which of course when he came in towing Katherine on his arm, Caroline had remembered precisely why they didn't stay in closer contact with the eldest Mikaelson. It hadn't helped at all that the doppelganger had purposefully made doe eyes at Stefan the second Elijah's back was turned, knowing full well that Rebekah was watching and ready to tear her heart out.

Caroline had looked to Klaus for help in settling the disagreement which had Rebekah trying to plunge a broken piece of chair into Katherine's heart while Elijah tried to tear his sister off his lover. Poor Stefan just gulped down more bourbon, staying the hell out of the line of fire.

Klaus had merely poured himself another glass as well before sliding over to stand behind Caroline. "I did try and warn you," he murmured, dropping a kiss against her shoulder.

Caroline fumed at that, letting out a high pitched screech at everything that was happening as she stalked out of the dining room and up to their bedroom. Screw them all. See if she ever tried to organize family get togethers ever again.

From the Other Side Kol couldn't stop laughing as Rebekah slammed the stake down, growling when it hit table instead of flesh. "A little more to the left, sister!" he shouted, even if she couldn't hear him, though he was sitting only a few feet away.

Bonnie sighed. "I'm going to go check on, Caroline."

"Well, he is right. He did warn her," Kol pointed out with another laugh as Elijah finally wrestled the stake away from Rebekah.

Bonnie could only roll her eyes, wondering again how she'd been saddled with him for eternity on the Other Side. At least it made an otherwise boring existence somewhat tolerable. And she didn't have to deal with being anyone's go-to witch either, so that was definitely a bonus. She hadn't expected to find Klaus following after Caroline and knew that she most likely didn't want to continue down that path as well. She'd done it once and forever regretted that she couldn't bleach her eyes at all she'd seen.

"Oh, but this is the best part," Kol murmured from behind her, urging her toward his brother's bedroom. "They'll yell and toss a few things at one another and then she does that delightful little—"

"You really need to stop watching your siblings' sex lives," Bonnie chided, pulling Kol back down the stairs.

"Know of anything better that I could be doing?" He arched a brow as he followed her out of the house and the smile that Bonnie directed his way brought one to his face as they continued on their way, leaving the living behind them.


	9. Chapter 9

**#1 Prompt for Klaroweek day 6: Caroline is a witch Klaus has seduced into his bed in the hopes of gaining her cooperation with one thing or another, but of course he gets more than he bargained for with the feisty blonde. (from mikaelshake)**

A little charm, some dimples flashed, and a lingering kiss to the hand as he gazed up her arm, locking his gaze with the young woman was usually all it took for him to end up in the lady in question's bed. Even easier if he used compulsion to get what he wanted out of them, but compulsion for sex had never been something he enjoyed. It took all of the challenge out of the game and while it was far easier to resort to simple compulsion to get a number of other things that he wanted, such as the witch's cooperation in completing the spell needed to keep Mikael off his siblings' backs for a little longer, what was supposed to be a simple urging for her to do as he pleased had altered entirely once he'd seen the witch in question.

Oh, he still wanted the spell to be performed, still needed that to be done for him and the others if they were to live in any manner of peace for the next few decades. There was only so much running they could stomach doing for any length of time, always wanting to settle down for a bit here or there even when they knew it was futile. Mikael would always locate them and the cycle would renew.

Klaus would get his spell but he wanted the witch with the golden curls in his bed before it happened. There was an entire coven of witches at his disposal and any one of them could do as he needed but he wanted it to beher much to his siblings' chagrin. Though Kol did seem to find the new obsession to be rather amusing, much better than looking for a doppelganger that he doubted existed. It'd take Mikael weeks to figure out the direction they had fled to though, months or more to discover where they had landed, and Klaus assured the lot of them that he'd have what he needed from the blonde before the week was out.

Caroline.

Her name tasted like a fresh kill in his mouth, reminded him of the honey he'd had long ago, and he couldn't seem to get enough of it.

As beautiful as she was, he'd never have become so completely fixated on her if she hadn't been so different than every other maiden in the castle. While the others smiled and preened under his gaze she scoffed and walked away, not taking in his charm at all. The others allowed him to whirl them as he pleased on the dance floor while she remained as stiff as she could, though she danced exceptionally well still—better than the rest if he was truthful, but none of the carefreeness that she exuded with the others would she dole out to him.

It was driving him mad.

Klaus Mikaelson got what he wanted and at the moment he wanted her.

Unfortunately a week passed and he was no closer than he'd been at the beginning. If anything he was fairly certain that he was further away from his goal than he had been at the start. His usual tactics were not working, each one tossed aside—sometimes literally into his face, and it was setting him on edge.

"Just let me get one of the others to do it," Kol insisted, dodging the vase thrown at his head. "I'm sure I can get that Bennett one to give us what we need."

"You'll do nothing," Klaus warned, even when he knew doing so would only antagonize his younger brother into acting out. Kol never liked being told no. Something they had in common.

"I hardly see what's even so appealing to her," Rebekah commented, as the body she'd been feeding from fell to the floor. "She's hardly the prettiest little thing here. Nor the smartest."

"She doesn't want anything to do with him though, sister," Kol pointed out. "You know how that bruises his ego."

"Neither does the Bennett girl and yet he's not caught up on her," Rebekah murmured, grinning at Kol's annoyance.

"Leave," Klaus ordered, thankful that the two did as directed, even if his sister huffed and hawed the entire way out, Kol's laughter more of an irritant.

If asked how everything shifted between them two weeks later, Klaus would never quite be able to say. Though, perhaps, their conversations where he'd been able to pry out how she'd wanted to actually see the world and not stay inside the kingdom she'd been born in for her entire life had led to the opening.

All he knew was that he finally had her in his bed, moaning his name as his head was nestled between her thighs, enjoying the fact that he was the one to bring her body over the edge. He definitely didn't expect the stake pressed against his back, right where she'd be able to drive it into his heart, or the fiery look in her eyes as she gazed down at him. Perhaps he should have. She never did react like any of the others.

"I'm never going to be your little lapdog," she told him, niking his skin and Klaus grabbed hold of it, wrenching it from her grasp. She didn't falter though, kept her head high as she glared at him, still hovering over her thighs. Though she did bite her lip as Klaus moved his hands up, slowly inching toward where his mouth had been moments before.

"Of course not, sweetheart." He had far greater plans for her than merely being his family's new pet witch. He'd let Kol pick the witch to complete the spell. Little Caroline was meant for far greater things and Klaus meant to show her each and every one of them.

The curtains along the bed caught on fire and Klaus pulled back, watching the same fire dance in Caroline's eyes as she leaned back against the pillows, drawing the blanket around her body. "I think we're done here."

"Oh sweet Caroline," Klaus murmured, letting his fangs drop and watching her eyes widen in a mixture of fear and fascination. "We've only just begun our little dance." The fire died out and she actually came forward to meet him, a mess of limbs, hands, and lips pressing and sliding against skin seconds later.

Kol found them asleep the next morning, Caroline curled up against Klaus as his brother possessively held the girl to him. "So does this mean we'll be getting the spell done now?" he called out, amused when Klaus looked over him, clearly annoyed at having been woken.

"Go get one of your little friends to do it," Klaus muttered, pulling Caroline closer to him and making sure her body was sufficiently covered from Kol's wandering eyes. He had half a mind to wring Kol's neck as the younger Mikaelson left the room, laughing wildly, but Caroline stirred and far more pleasant ideas began to fill his mind instead.

* * *

**#2 Drabble request: klaroline arguing during sex like fighting for dominance and trying to win the argument. Like a Drabble like in wicked schemes where klaus and Caroline are arguing over her safety. Smut! Please and thank you :)**

Klaus followed after Caroline, their conversation nowhere near finished in his opinion. He knew that she thought it was over, that her adamant NO meant that they were done speaking about it all and like hell was he about to let it go. He'd allow so many things to slide for her, give into so many of her whims—from the damn charity events she begged to attend to the fish that they'd ended up letting die when they'd gone to Morocco for a few months and forgotten its existence. Which of course had been all his fault. Surely he should have remembered poor Hubert. Not that she'd remembered the slimy little thing either, but the blame had rested squarely on his shoulders.

But there were certain things he would not bend on, even for her, and the main one was her safety. "Caroline," he started as she headed toward the stairs.

She sighed, turning around on her heels and her demeanor was light, trying to assuage him, but this wasn't something she could do that with. "It's two weeks with the girls in Barbados. I'll be fine. I don't need a damn entourage of your best vampires following me around. Besides Rebekah will be there."

"I won't be swayed on this one, love," Klaus informed her and headed past her up the stairs. "Either they go with you or—"

"Or what?!" she demanded, all cheerfulness gone and he didn't even have to look behind him to know she was standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at his backside as he continued to ascend the stairs. "You'll not let me go?"

"Yes." He really should have anticipated the shoe thrown at his head, though he did manage to catch it before it made impact, and the next one that she threw.

"We may be a couple but you have never and will never be able to tell me where I can go and what I can do," she replied, heading up the stairs and tried to maneuver past him when she arrived at the top.

Klaus caught her around the waist, her shoes already safely deposited on a chair in the hallway because lord knows he'd have heard about it if he dropped them, and lifted her up, trapping her against him as he carried her toward their bedroom. She tried to thrash about in his arms, reminding him of a rabid alleycat and her nails even managed to slice into his face before he deposited her onto the bed.

"You are well aware of the current upheaval happening between the werewolves and the witches at the moment, love," Klaus reminded, feeling the scratches on his face already begin to heal as he rubbed his face.

"Something that you've been egging on. I don't see why I have to suffer for what you do," Caroline pointed out, removing the tie he was wearing and tossing it to the side. "And technically it'll be better if I'm out of the country. Out of their reach. Just saying."

"I prefer when they antagonize one another. Less of a chance of any of them planning to bring my family down." Even if that could change at a moment's notice. Not that it ever did any of them any good. Only one weapon could truly bring downfall to the Mikaelson family and he was well aware of where that particular stake was being kept.

"Then I'm not seeing why I can't go have some fun in the sun on my own,"she murmured, unbuttoning his shirt and dropping kisses along each space of skin that was being revealed.

"Because there's already been one or two from either side asking for our assistance," Klaus replied, trying to remember how much she liked the dress she had on and if he was allowed to ruin this one. The material parted easily in his hands, nothing left to be saved by the time he was done removing it from her body.

Oh well. He could always buy her a replacement.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at him, roughly undoing the belt of his pants then. "So what? You think they'll want to use me as a bargaining chip? Because I remember the last time one of them tried that I kicked their asses."

"Yes, after being bitten." And he'd nearly not gotten their in time, something he was sure she remembered by her frown.

"You saved me," she murmured after a few moments, thankful that his pants were off and she leaned back against the bed, sighing as she looked up at him. "And I could just take a vial of your blood with me. See no fuss."

And that vial could break or get lost, not be on her when she was bitten again, or a million other scenarios running through his head. Not that he still wouldn't be sending her with one or two of those anyway, but he wanted the extra protection looking out for her, to be able to step in should anyone try anything. Her bra broke apart with a flick of his fingers and he peeled back the cups to reveal her breasts, watched her chest rise and fall in anticipation. "It's not enough," Klaus murmured, waiting for her to tense as he hovered over her breast, not quite touching, but once she did he rolled his tongue along her nipple, feeling her shudder beneath him.

"You just don't want it to be enough," Caroline muttered, hands threading through his hair, and he growled at that, giving a tug to her panties and ripping those from her body as well.

"Oh yes," Klaus started, lifting his head from her breast as one hand slid down her body, seeking out the bundle of nerves that he knew were dying to be touched. "I am simply trying to ruin all of your plans. To force you to walk around with others watching out for you, for them to keep you safe, to put down any threats before you or any of your little friends know what is even coming for you, all because I'm what exactly, Caroline? What is it that Elena tried to say while we were suffering through that travesty of a musical? Controlling? Manipulative?"

"Well you can be," Caroline reminded, even as her hips arched as his fingers slid against her clit.

"Caroline," his voice low, eyes narrowed and dark with warning.

"I just wanted a normal vacation," she sighed, pressing her forehead up against his even as she continued to arch, hands grasping his shoulders as he curled a finger inside of her, already feeling how wet she was for him. "No guards, no witches—except for Bonnie, no drama…well…no supernatural drama."

"You're not normal, sweetheart. You never were," Klaus murmured, and she never would be, not with him. Not with the life they led. He wondered for a moment if this was her telling him that what he gave her wasn't enough, that normal truly was what she was holding on for and that was something he would never be able to give to her.

She seemed to sense his thoughts and reached out, brushing her fingers against his cheek. "I know," Caroline told him, pulling him down for a hard kiss. He withdrew his fingers, hips shifting until his hardened member was inside of her and her legs were wrapped around his waist, urging him on with each thrust.

He'd learned every single tell of her body over the years, how she would whimper and claw at his back before tensing, fangs sinking down into his neck as she fell over the edge whenever she could. Klaus wasn't chancing his venom in her blood this time and didn't reciprocate but he followed her over, pulling her possessively against him as he rolled onto his back. She trailed her fingers along his chest, tracing patterns in his skin, and he allowed them both a chance to come down off of their high before continuing the conversation.

"I'm not backing down on this one."

Caroline sighed. "I know."

"I'll pick five of my best—"

She shook her head. "One."

Klaus rolled his eyes. As if he was about to allow her to go out with only one to guard her. "Three."

Caroline didn't respond right away, fingers tapping against his chest. "Fine. But I get to pick them."

"Of course, love."

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**#3 Drabble request for klaroweek: klaroline as mates. Caroline finds out she is klaus's mate and she tries to deny it and avoid it because she is mad but she can't fight it. Major fluff and romantic sweetness please!**

"No. You've mixed up a verb or something and that is completely wrong." Caroline tapped the grimoire in Bonnie's hand, shaking her head. "So you're just going to need to like reread it and make it actually make sense because what you just told me doesn't make sense. None. Zip. Zilch."

Bonnie set down the book, and Caroline didn't like that placating look, that one that was all calm down, Caroline. How was she supposed to calm down? She couldn't calm down. There was no point in any of this where she was just going to be magically calm. Unless of course somehow Bonnie made her magically calm but then Bonnie was the anchor so she couldn't do magic and oh this sucked. "I read it about five times and contacted some witches that my mom knows to double check it all, Caroline," Bonnie told her, and she knew her friend was trying to be reassuring but all that knowledge did was make Caroline need to sit down because otherwise she was certain she'd have fallen over. "Is it really a huge deal? We all know you love him."

What? She most certainly didn't love him. She just…there had been feelings and longings and so maybe that kiss had turned into more than she'd expected but…wait, Bonnie was still talking. "I know you two got in a fight and broke up but this being his mate thing won't just go away, Caroline. I'm not saying you have to do anything about it but from what the book says and everyone else says, you'll always be drawn to one another."

She was going to be sick. Of course Bonnie thought it was about Tyler. Why wouldn't she think it was about Tyler? It wasn't like she'd gone around telling everyone about how she'd totally screwed Klaus in the woods. Like…she couldn't even remember how many times. "It's really not that big of a deal, Caroline," Bonnie continued, and she was holding Caroline's hands who was nodding along and then forcing a smile on her face.

"Of course not. I'm not about to let some stupid wolf tradition interfere with my life. I have plans and he isn't allowed to mess with them." This new knowledge didn't change a damn thing. Klaus was gone and he wasn't coming back and just because their sex had apparently activated some weird mate thing between them didn't mean she was altering . "Thanks for your help. I need to go practice my lines."

She was up before Bonnie could answer, vaguely heard the 'do you want help' as she headed out of the dorm room and out onto the campus grounds. She knew she needed to be careful out there because wasn't it just her and her friends' luck to have picked a campus that was steeped in vampire history and liked to experiment on them? The fates were seriously against her. That was the only explanation that she had for any of it.

She ended up on one of the grassy areas, sitting on a bench and watching the the others walk by, trying to filter out all the inane chatter that went with being out in the open. She tapped her foot against the ground, fingers gripping the bench so that she wouldn't pull the phone out of her pocket. It had already rung a few times and oh god she hoped Bonnie hadn't talked to Tyler. She didn't have a clue how she'd explain any of this to him.

Not that she even owed him an explanation. Maybe it was just Bonnie checking in on her. Or Stefan. Who knew. She wasn't finding out.

Except eventually she did pull out her phone, but not to check messages. Instead she was scrolling for a damn name on the contact list, narrowing her eyes at it taunting her there, wedged between people who actually deserved to be on it. She hit it before she could stop herself and then she was off the bench, walking through the campus and trying to remember she had to keep up the human appearance. No quick flashes allowed right then and there.

"Hello, sweethear—"

"Don't even think of sweethearting me right now. I do not care one iota that I'm apparently your predestined mate or whatever that bullshit is. My life isnot predetermined and is not written in the stars or whatever the stupid witches from long ago seem to think. So don't think for a moment that this changes anything between us. I'm still doing college and you're still keeping your promise and not allowed in Mystic Falls." There. She'd said it. So why did it make her feel so hollow when it was supposed to prop her up and make her feel stronger?

"I suppose its a good thing that your campus isn't in Mystic Falls then," Klaus replied and Caroline froze because while she heard his voice in the phone she also heard it coming from directly behind her.

"You promised," she snapped, turning around to glare at him as she ended the call.

"And I'm sure you'll find that I kept that promise," he grinned, arching a brow at her as he motioned to the surrounding campus. "We're quite far from your home towns' city limits."

She crossed her arms, partly to show her disdain for his presence, but also to keep herself from stepping toward him as her body really wanted to do. "I'm not a fan of loopholes."

"I'm quite fond of them." He stepped toward her and she was half tempted to step backward but wouldn't give him that satisfaction, staying right where she had been. "I had no way of knowing that mates were something that even truly existed, Caroline. For all I knew mine had died over one thousand years ago. Most likely at my hand or one of my family's."

"I'm not a wolf. There's no werewolf line in my history." She'd looked after the whole Tyler turning thing, just wanting to double check that even though she'd already been a vampire. "Nothing on either side. So it doesn't make any sense. 'Cause I'd have just been some random human girl." If it hadn't been for Katherine and her lovely little 'message' to the Salvatore brothers.

His lips quirked and she just knew that damn 'fate' word was on the tip of his tongue and she stomped her foot, refusing to believe it. "I don't love you."

"Not yet, but I'm fully confident that you will," Klaus informed her.

"Why?" How could he be so sure?

"Because I do love you and what hope does anyone have but for the one they love to feel the same back with time?" Klaus shrugged, and he was right in front of her again, pushing a stray curl back behind her ear. "And I meant what I said at graduation, Caroline."

She closed her eyes at that, remembering those words, how he intended to be her last. "However long it takes," Klaus whispered against her ear before kissing her cheek one last time.

_When she opened her eyes he was gone and she stared up at the sky, cursing out the stars._


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: More Klaroweek drabbles.**

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**#1 Drabble request: Klaroline high school AU. Klaus as the bad boy and Caroline as cheerleader smut in a party in a bathroom.**

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Caroline could list of numerous reasons why being in the bathroom with theKlaus Mikaelson was a horrible, no good, very bad idea. Ranging from the fact her mother would probably ground her for life if she found out she was with the resident bad boy of Mystic Falls to she was head cheerleader and as head cheerleader she was supposed to be hooking up with one of the star football players. But they were all a bore and after breaking up with Tyler—no matter how much he tried to say that he'd been the one to break up with her—she had found her interest in the entire lot of them dwindling to nothing. Of course there was also the fact that Klaus was kind of the brother to one of her good friends and fellow cheerleader and Rebekah would also have a fit if she found out.

But really none of those reasons made a lick of sense to Caroline as Klaus pushed her skirt up more, hands on her ass and pulling her closer to him. There was no discounting that he was handsome, with those damn dimples and that smirk that irritated her to no end. But those same lips dipping down onto her collarbone while she tried to remove his jacket from his body was capable of driving her wild in a whole new way.

"This is seriously unsanitary," Caroline moaned, hips pressing against his as she hooked her legs around his waist, trying to bring him even closer.

"It's the Lockwood Manor," Klaus replied in that damn accent that made her toes curl. "I doubt there's an area in here that's not been cleaned with a toothbrush."

True, Carol Lockwood was kind of a neat freak—oh right there—what had she been saying again? She wasn't even sure any longer and did it really matter when Klaus was there between her thighs and more than ready to help her scratch an itch she was in desperate need of scratching?

Moments later and her panties were off and she expected his pants to go next, or at least be pulled down enough for them to proceed. She really hadn't expected for him to pull back some while pushing her dress all the way up her thighs, nor him to bury his head expertly between them. Caroline had one hand pressed against the bathroom counter, trying to grab onto something to steady herself, while the other twisted in his hair, her whimpers and moans urging him on.

There was a pounding on the door just as she was cascading over, slumping back against the mirror to catch her breath and peered down at Klaus as the pounding continued, unsurprised to find him looking at her with that Cheshire grin. "Hurry the hell up in there," someone shouted and Caroline slid off the sink, trying to steady her legs as she picked up her panties, pulling them back into place, and Klaus reached over, pushing stray hairs behind her ear.

"Feeling any better, love?" Klaus asked as he went to open the door, holding it open for the Freshman that rushed in to puke in the toilet.

"Much, but I'm kind of thinking that you might be the one in need of assistance now," Caroline drawled as they headed out into the throng of students partying inside. She caught Klaus' hand and nodded toward the stairs, knowing full well which rooms would be unoccupied at that point in the night. "I bet I can help you with that."

"I'm sure you can," he agreed, squeezing her hand as they headed toward the stairs.

Caroline closed the door, unable to help laughing as she heard Rebekah yelling, "Was that my brother and Caroline in the bathroom?!"

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**#2 Drabble request: klaus tries to win Caroline over in his wolf form. When he is in his wolf form it can't help but go to Caroline and court her and try to win her over. At first Caroline is annoyed but then she gives in and fluff! You are such a great writer so I'm so happy you are doing these!**

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When Klaus and his family had returned from New Orleans because whatever had drawn them there had turned out to be another lie fabricated by one Miss Katherine Pierce—which really, newsflash, pretty much everything out of that woman's mouth was a lie, how did they not figure that one out sooner—Caroline had expected some kind of an uproar or some catastrophe to strike. Yes, Klaus had come and rescued the lot of them at graduation but he wasn't exactly well liked by anyone…except with compulsion. Hell, Carol Lockwood had been one of the few who did like him at one point and he'd killed her.

Except everything had been pretty great since their return. No killings. No craziness. Matt was still off with Rebekah on their whirlwind tour. Damon and Elena were still making googoo eyes at one another. Jeremy was back from the dead. Bonnie was off with her mom for the summer. And Caroline was busy planning out every tiny aspect of college life. It was great.

She'd seen Klaus a time or two or at least she thought she had but even with that promise of being her last love—which who just went around saying those kind of things?!—he'd been good about not hounding her. Of course Tyler hadn't returned either and Caroline was seriously beginning to doubt that he ever would but whatever, she wasn't letting that ruin her summer.

And then the dead animals in the yard had started.

At first the dead bunny on the doorstep had been an odd occurrence and her mom and her had wondered if this was someone's way of saying they knew Caroline was a vampire but days passed and there wasn't anything else that seemed like a threat. No whispers about town about vampires either so it probably wasn't that. Plus her mom had gotten the bunny analyzed and learned that the bite marks weren't human.

Then there had been a duck and a raccoon, but really the deer had been the last straw and Caroline was adamant that she was staying up to figure out what the hell was leaving them weird dead animals.

She really hadn't expected to see a wolf on her porch dragging up the latest kill. It sensed her at the window and Caroline froze, terrified that the thing would attack. But it had to be a regular old wolf, not a werewolf, because it was the new moon so…no nasty wolf bites for her? Still didn't explain why the damn wolf was dragging up animals onto the Forbes' lawn of all the lawns in Mystic Falls.

And then the wolf had sat down on its paws and she could have sworn it tilted its head to the side as if studying her. The yellow eyes were the first hint that she'd been wrong and it wasn't a regular old wolf. She shook her head in disbelief, refusing to go to the conclusion that she knew it had to be. Obviously it wasn't Tyler. She knew what Tyler's werewolf looked like and since there was only one of other Hybrid in all of existence.

"NO." Caroline pointed toward the street, wondering if she could shoo him away. "Go away." He didn't budge. Of course not. He didn't listen to her in his normal form why would he in his wolf? She shut the blinds and headed over to her room, steadfastly ignoring the dead animal and howling wolf that was now at her window.

Somehow she'd managed to fall asleep, only to be woken in the morning by the smell of the coffee her mother was making. Caroline padded down into the kitchen, happily accepting the offered mug and sat down at the kitchen table, offering a smile in thanks. "I see we got another gift last night," Liz commented and instantly her brightening mood vanished.

"Don't worry. I'll be putting an end to it today," Caroline informed her, shrugging at her mom's curious look.

"Solved the mystery, did you?" Liz asked as she sat down across from her daughter.

"Someone's letting the beast within lead them around," Caroline mumbled, glaring down at the mug of coffee.

"So Tyler is back in town?"

Oh. How she wished that was the case. Then…would it be cute? Was she supposed to find it cute if Tyler was the one offering her up dead animals? Because she didn't think she would find it cute then either. It'd still be pretty disgusting.

"No. Still in Florida." She was beginning to hope he drowned in a rainstorm with the amount of call dodging he did.

"Then…" Realization dawned on her mother's face and Caroline could only nod.

"Yep."

"I don't want you going over to that house," Liz told her, and Caroline sighed, knowing her mother meant well.

"It's only going to continue to persist until I can go and confront him." Once she did she was sure it would stop. Fifty-fifty chance really. "And I've been over there plenty of times." Okay so maybe that wasn't the best argument.

"Take someone with you," Liz told her before heading off to the station.

There was no one Caroline was going to bring along with her because there was just no way she was going to tell anyone else what was going on. Just no. She could handle this one all on her own. An hour and a half later and one kickass 'don't mess with me' outfit perfected and worn, she headed over to the Mikaelson place and straight on inside. If he could turn up unannounced to drop off things at her place then she could continue showing up unannounced into his.

"Klaus!" she called out, repeating his name louder as she walked through the mansion, trying to figure out which room he was hiding in. So maybe he wouldn't actually be hiding but did the place seriously have to be so big? Caroline was pretty sure she could get lost if she actually tried to play a game of hide and seek in it. "There you are."

She hadn't exactly expected to find him in the backyard, staring off into the distance and she followed his gaze into the field and spotted the couple of horses grazing. Ugh. Show off. "Hello, Caroline. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Klaus asked, finally looking at her and she pursed her lips at that.

"As if you didn't know," she muttered, crossing her arms as she stared down at him. "You need to stop coming around my house and leaving me dead animals in your wolf form. One, I do not eat defenseless bunnies or raccoons or deer. You killed Bambi! And two, like your wolf could totally decide it wants to eat vampire and then where would I be? Dead. I would be dead. So stop it."

And he was smiling? Seriously? "This is not a laughing matter!"

"Of course not, love," Klaus replied as he rose and Caroline waited for him to expand on that. Surely he had something to say about his wolf's behavior. "I'll try to curb my wolf's desire to show you how high it holds you in its esteem."

"Why are you even shifting? Doesn't it hurt?" Wasn't that the whole point of being a hybrid? So he could control the shifting? Or well. For the others it had been. For him it'd been to release the wolf side.

"I find it rather freeing actually," Klaus replied. "Not quite like my vampire side. No breaking of my own bones required for that, but the thrill of the hunt is different in that form and I'm trying to hone it to my advantage. It seems that it quite likes to bestow the gifts of my hunts upon you when its through."

"Yes, well, I don't want its gifts, so like bury them in a different yard or eat them. I don't know!" Just no more dead animals on her doorstep. They were getting bigger and a lot harder to get rid of without the neighbors noticing. "I swear if you smile one more time at me."

"I'll work on controling the wolf, Caroline," Klaus assured her, and then motioned toward the horses. "But since you're already here would you care to join me in a ride?"

Her answer was supposed to be no, she knew that. But what was the harm of going on one little ride with the horses? It wasn't like she had any other plans for the day. "Alright, but only for a little bit."

She should have known his triumphant grin was going to spell trouble, though thankfully it didn't happen during their horseback ride. No, it happened later in the week when she'd been walking home from the grill and two out of towners just passing through had thought she'd make a fun target for harassment. She could have taken care of it all on her own—vampire, thanks—but as soon as the men started calling out to her there was Klaus' wolf growling and snapping at them, putting himself in between Caroline and the two offenders.

"Oh look. She's got a guard dog," one of them laughed, moving to swing at what they apparently assumed was a puppy and the wolf launched himself at them, nearly tearing off the first guy's arm and sending the other running away in fear.

"Klaus, stop," Caroline ordered, trying to get him off the man his jaw was still clamped around.

The wolf backed off, still growling at the man who somehow got himself up and away, before stopping to sit at Caroline's feet, looking entirely too proud of itself. "No," she muttered, raking her hands through her hair as she walked away, refusing to believe any of it was happening.

It wasn't until she got home, knowing full well that the wolf was following her along the way, that Caroline realized it hadn't once tried to attack her. She didn't know what that meant, remembering how Mason and Tyler had instantly gone for her because she was a vampire, but Caroline knew it really couldn't be good. She shut her window and cranked up the AC, not wanting to hear the wolf howling outside her window again because she wouldn't let it inside.

She didn't bother going to see Klaus the next day, already having found the drawing on her nightstand of her walking home, Klaus' handwriting at the bottom. My apologies—Klaus.

Great. Now she was getting more pictures from him as well as his wolf deciding to be her protector. Could it get any worse?

Two weeks later she received the phone call she had knew was coming and had kept trying to put off, hoping it would change. But no. Tyler wasn't coming back. He wouldn't be beholden to Klaus and he'd found a pack who accepted him, who was taking him in as family, and didn't she know how important family was to him now that he'd lost his? So much for thinking that she could be his family.

Caroline had been sobbing on the back steps of the house, not wanting to be inside any longer. It felt too confining, like it wanted to close in all around her. The wolf came slowly over to her and she didn't even realize its presence until it was nuzzling her legs. She looked over at it and shoved it away. "This is your fault!" she screamed, glaring at the animal who stood watching her without an ounce of regret. "You made him leave and now he…go away" She stood up, trying to find something to throw at the wolf, to make him leave, but there was nothing there and so she went back into the house, slamming the door shut and sinking down against it. "Just go away!"

There was scratching at the door for a good five minutes before she heard it finally leave. Caroline pulled out all of the alcohol she could find in the house, which admittedly, wasn't much, but she drank through it, one bottle after the other as she tried to drown her sorrows. She tried calling Stefan but there was no answer, like always. Bonnie was another voicemail. Elena didn't even bother to pick up. Her life was falling apart and she didn't know what to do about it.

She woke in her bed, unsure how she'd even gotten into it; last thing she remembered was being on the kitchen floor and deleting every damn picture of Tyler Lockwood from her phone. Her mouth tasted gross and she knew she needed to brush her teeth as she pushed her hair out of her face and sat up, freezing when she realized that Klaus was sitting in her room, watching her. "Welcome to the land of the living," he murmured, hands steepled in front of him as he regarded her.

"What do you want?" Caroline asked, in no mood for any of their usual banter or discourse that day.

"Once I changed back I came to check on you and found you passed out in the kitchen. I doubted that you would want your mother to find you in such a position so I brought you in here and cleaned up the little mess you had made," Klaus informed her and Caroline frowned, wondering exactly what kind of mess she had created in her state of mind. "After all, it is my fault that young Lockwood left and broke your heart."

Oh, she didn't' want to have this conversation. "It's your fault he left. The heart breaking is all his own." It wasn't something she really wanted to admit but it was the truth. Tyler had chosen not to return and he could blame it on Klaus all he wanted but in the end it was his choice. He'd never even asked if she wanted to come down and join him for the summer or anything. He'd picked a new life and left her behind. Maybe it was because of Klaus that those circumstances had even happened, but it was still Tyler's fault, not the other Hybrid's. "I'm really not in the mood for company though. So thanks for your help but please go now."

"Of course." Klaus rose and she was grateful that he didn't come toward the bed but headed straight to the door. "The next time you are in the mood for company though, Caroline, I would quite like to have some help again taking the horses out for a ride."

She nodded and turned away from him, not quite able to give him more than that, but she knew it was more than enough. But she wasn't ready for horseback riding or all that doing so would entail. For now she just wanted to brush her teeth and shower and have a nice pint of ice cream to finish off her 'Tyler Lockwood sucks' mood before she picked herself up and kept on going. Because she was Caroline Forbes and no wolf was ever going to break her.


End file.
